The 10 Best Jane Austen Movies, Ranked

Jane Austen wrote her many masterpieces in the early 19th century, but her work still sweeps viewers off their feet 200 years later.

Jane Austen wrote her many masterpieces in the early 19th century, but her work still sweeps viewers off their feet in new adaptations for the big and small screens 200 years later. Many versions and adaptations of Austen's six novels have come over the decades, and they've only improved with time. The telling of Austen's work has evolved even as the scripts have stayed true to Austen's famous words. To this day, the story of an independent heroine in a man's world holds up more than ever.

It would take a long time to rank all of Jane Austen's film adaptations, but the versions that have hit theaters within the last 30 years take the cake. On the big screen, Austen adaptations take place in the grand real-life homes and villages where her characters could've lived. They have scores that whisk viewers in, lift emotions higher, and make them feel like they're right there, experiencing and feeling everything much deeper than reading Austen's words. The actors who've played her beloved characters have brought something new and exhilarating. This combined makes an excellent viewing experience for all period drama lovers.

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10. 'Love and Friendship' (2016)
Director: Whit Stillman

Love and Friendship is based on Jane Austen's unpublished novella, Lady Susan, and unlike any of her other work. The story follows Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who has lost her standing at Langford and has been forced to move in with relatives at the less impressive Churchill. Her main goal is to get her daughter Frederica (Morfydd Clark) married off to the wealthy Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett), but everyone around her gets caught in the complex web that she controls with ease.

Love and Friendship don't have Austen's typical independent heroine but an often wicked and conniving woman bent on improving her and her daughters' station, no matter the cost. Beckinsale is perfect, driving the character’s unrelenting self-interest. Susan is oblivious to others and knows no boundaries. However, unfortunately, the film fails to inspire as a whole. It doesn't have the decades-long attachment that Pride and Prejudice or Emma have.

9. 'Fire Island' (2022)
Director: Andrew Ahn

Fire Island is not a conventional Jane Austen adaptation but still pays homage to Pride and Prejudice. The film follows a group of queer best friends who gather at Fire Island Pines for their annual vacation. Noah (Joel Kim Booster) puts aside his goal of getting laid to help Howie (Bowen Yang) find someone. The friends learn that the vacation home is being sold after this season and decide to have one big final bash. Noah eventually meets Will (Conrad Ricamora), his opposite or the Mr. Darcy of the story.

The only resemblance between Fire Island and Pride and Prejudice is that they have a main couple who are worlds apart. The script directly quotes the film’s source material a couple of times, but besides that, it would be pretty impossible to figure out that this is a Jane Austen adaptation.

8. 'Emma' (1996)
Director: Douglas McGrath

The 1996 version of Emma is one of the most memorable because Gwyneth Paltrow plays the titular heroine. Unmarried and living with her father, Emma Woodhouse occupies herself with matchmaking, although she's often misguided and meddlesome. Meanwhile, she isn't quick to catch that her friend Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam) is in love with her. She only realizes her love for him when her friend Harriet (Toni Collette) shows interest in him, and even when he tells her of his love, she's in disbelief.

The film sticks to the source material and direct quotes almost too well, so it seems stiff sometimes and unoriginal. Meanwhile, the performances aren't awe-inspiring and fall flat, almost like they were acting in a boring, low-budget play. Paltrow could've been more passionate, but she's soft and forgettable. When Mr. Knightley proposes to Emma, there's supposed to be a great deal of passion because his love has been eating him alive and threatening to break free. That's not quite what we see in this adaptation, but it's no less entertaining to watch.

7. 'Northanger Abbey' (2007)
Director: Jon Jones

Northanger Abbey follows the Jane Austen model. A young, independent tomboy is in search of a husband. However, this time, Catherine Morland (Felicity Jones) is caught between two brother and sister duos, the Tilneys and the Thorpes. It's an 1800s version of he-said, she-said, and Catherine gets wrapped up in it. Catherine's imagination doesn't help her find a match either, but ultimately, Henry Tilney (JJ Feild), who is not deceitful like John Thorpe (William Beck), falls in love with her.

While Northanger Abbey has a complex, juicy storyline, it's not one of Austen's best and certainly not as memorable as her other tales. It's hard not to feel bad for Catherine, being pulled by two families who want her to marry their son (unbeknownst to them, she isn't as wealthy as they think). However, she's not exactly as passionate, headstrong, or charismatic as Emma or Elizabeth Bennet.

6. 'Bridget Jones's Diary' (2001)
Director: Sharon Maguire

Bridget Jones's Diary is what you get when you combine comedy and a modern-day telling of Pride and Prejudice. Bridget (Renée Zellweger), the Elizabeth Bennet of the story, is 32 and worried she'll become a spinster, but she's hopelessly oblivious at every turn. She meets Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) (they couldn't have been more obvious), who she thinks is stuck up and judgmental but secretly in love with her. Bridget eventually dates Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) (Mr. Wickham), Darcy's old friend-turned-enemy, but soon realizes the truth about Daniel and falls in love with Darcy.

Bridget is relatable and endearing, but she's quite the opposite of Elizabeth Bennet, although they're both strong-willed. She often acts like a bumbling fool, but she knows her worth and is brave enough to criticize her faults. She believes she deserves someone who is her perfect match and will stop at nothing to find someone right. Bridget Jones's Diary gives Pride and Prejudice a modern makeover and is a classic in its own right, but it doesn't quite stand up next to the authentic tellings of Austen's stories.

5. 'Clueless' (1995)
Director: Amy Heckerling

Clueless is a modern telling of Emma. Everyone loves Cher (Alicia Silverstone) despite her being a spoiled, self-absorbed, rich girl. She suddenly does a selfless act by taking the new girl, Tai (Brittany Murphy), under her wing and tries to set her up with Elton (Jeremy Sisto), but Elton likes Cher. Then, Tai begins to like Cher's step-brother Josh (Paul Rudd) instead. This shocks Cher, and she realizes that she's been clueless during her matchmaking. She's been in love with Josh the whole time.

Clueless is a pop culture masterpiece and 90s classic, but most importantly, the perfect modern-day telling of Emma. Like Bridget Jones's Diary, it's not a typical Jane Austen adaptation, but it keeps the story alive while transporting it to another nostalgic generation. Cher is just as clueless and dimwitted as her counterpart. Josh is just as quick to give Cher a reality check as Mr. Knightley, and Elton is just as conniving as Mr. Elton. Clueless is just a 90s version of Emma.

4. 'Mansfield Park' (1999)
Director: Patricia Rozema

Mansfield Park, the only film adaptation of Austen’s third novel, follows Fanny Price (Frances O'Connor), whose poor family sent her as a child to live with her rich aunt and uncle at their estate, Mansfield Park. Her family wants her to be a full-fledged member of a privileged society, but Fanny is headstrong like most of Austen's heroines and doesn't fit in. She falls in love with Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller), but he loves Mary Crawford (Embeth Davidtz). Meanwhile, Henry Crawford (Alessandro Nivola) falls in love with Fanny, but she refuses him. Once Mary is out of the picture and more drama unfolds, Fanny and Edmund finally get to be together.

The constant swapping of romantic hopefuls in Mansfield Park makes it often difficult to understand. However, it has Austen's tried and true elements. It explores classism within romance and showcases a woman who knows her mind and won't settle for anything less. It's so satisfying once Fanny, who constantly gets pushed aside, finally finds happiness.

3. 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995)
Director: Ang Lee

Emma Thompson did double duty on Sense and Sensibility, starring as Elinor and writing the screenplay. She did a remarkable job adapting the novel, even winning an Oscar for her work. Thompson and Winslet bring their characters to work with the utmost skill and passion, making 1995's version of the story memorable.

2. 'Emma.' (2020)
Director: Autumn de Wilde

All the stuffiness of Emma 1999 is absent from Emma. 2020. This most recent adaptation is relatively straightforward, sticking faithfully to the plot and even Austen's words. However, even if you know the story extremely well, Autumn de Wilde's adaptation brings those moments you didn't realize were there to the forefront. On top of that, the story is brought to vibrant life through fantastic cinematography and a playful, period-authentic score that only adds more feeling and makes the audience experience the full gamut of emotions. Everything about Emma. is beautiful and detail-oriented, right down to the piece of cake on the stunning tiered tray. Every quip is sharp and unexpected; every scene takes viewers' breaths away.

Bill Nighy's Mr. Woodhouse is hilarious and punchy. Mia Goth stands out for her meek and awkwardly naive Harriet. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the well-meaning young Emma with charisma, flare, and confidence. In an interview, Taylor-Joy said Austen's book "merits re-reading" because every time you go through it, you find something different that "shouts her brilliance." She said it was a gift to "say those witty lines and play around with them," giving it even more brilliance. Meanwhile, Johnny Flynn’s Mr. Knightley has a deeper character development, making his romance with Emma more authentic. There's a heat and passion between the pair that wasn't present in 1999's version. There's no mistaking it; this is the definitive version of Emma that would've blown Austen away.

1. 'Pride and Prejudice' (2005)
Director: Joe Wright

The 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice is the most classic Jane Austen adaptation. It epitomizes romantic period films and Austen's most famous novels. The epic love story follows Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley), who seemingly gets her pride crushed by Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) after he says she's not handsome enough to tempt him. She believes he is prejudiced against people from different backgrounds and detests him even more when she discovers he broke up her sister Jane (Rosamund Pike) and Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods). While she tries to start a relationship with the snake, Mr. Wickham (Rupert Friend), Darcy falls in love with her. Ultimately, Darcy repairs Elizabeth's sister's relationship and gets rid of Wickham to prove himself worthy of Elizabeth.

Pride and Prejudice is so much more than a tale about a middle-class country girl who unintentionally inspires love in a rich, older bachelor. The 2005 adaptation is richer and more passionate than all the previous versions and encompasses the right tone and vibe while breathing new life into it. The cinematography transports you there, and the beautiful score lifts all the emotion even higher. Knightley was made to play Elizabeth Bennet. Whichever emotion Elizabeth shows, the audience feels it in the pit of their stomachs. They cry when she cries; they get angry when she's angry. A tingle goes up the spine when she's sublimely happy. Matthew Macfadyen nailed Darcy's brooding arrogance perfectly. Yet, behind his mask of indifference, a softness that Macfayden knew how to balance lurks. Undeniably, the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the most accurate representation of how Austen envisioned her novel.